Bridgeport FFA revs up for District, State competitions, May plant sale

BRIDGEPORT – FFA advisor Adam Corum has a busy year planned for his near three-dozen FFA students. There are district competitions next month, state convention preparations, projects in the like-new seven-year-old school shop and the big community plant sale that draws buyers from all around the area.
Owing to other commitments on Corum’s plate this spring, the annual plant sale will be held on Saturday, March 5, featuring a wide selection of vegetable plants along with flowers and more hanging baskets.
With District competitions just around the corner, Corum’s crew is getting ready for a variety of contests from parliamentary debates and forums to exhibitions and judging.
“We’ll have one parliamentary team this year,” said Corum. “Last year we had two but most of those graduated.”
Corum said Bridgeport will also field a novice parliamentary team for new members who can work on gaining vital speaking experience.
Corum said Bridgeport will also send a team for the Ag Issue Forum that features a discussion including the pros and cons related to various agriculture topics.
“We also have some students doing a Job Interview Contest,” Corum said.
For the 88th Washington FFA Convention and Expo at Pullman May 10-12, Bridgeport will send several representatives for the FFA Creed Contest, including a Spanish version of the Creed.
“They had the Spanish Creed for the very first time last year,” said Corum. “A girl from Bridgeport, Esmeralda Garcia, competed as a freshman and won second place in state.”
Corum explained that the Creed competition is open only first-year members of FFA.
Again this year Bridgeport FFA will be a fixture at Bridgeport Daze in June along with its signature barbecue concession. The FFA group also fires up the barbecue at football Homecoming and the Power-Puff game.
Corum said it requires lots of effort to stand out in FFA District 7 that extends from the Canadian border to Wenatchee and encompasses one of the largest and most competitive districts in the state. Corum is a Tonasket graduate and spent four years teaching in its FFA program before taking over the reins at Bridgeport where he is entering his ninth year with FFA.